Award-winning director George Gallo and producer David E. Ornston talk about filming The Hollywood Scam starring Robert De Niro and Zach Braff. The premiere of the tape in Russia will take place on November 19, 2020. Learn all about filming and the idea behind making a movie The Comeback Trail, independent and vibrant satire!
Director's introduction
- One day in the spring of 1974, my friends and I decided to skip school to get to a comic book exhibition in New York. I was not as into superheroes as some of my classmates, so it was more interesting for me to explore the hotel where the exhibition was held. I heard the whirring of a 16mm projector from behind the door of one of the rooms and looked inside. Several people watched the working version of the film "The Hollywood Scam" (that version of the film, directed by Harry Harwitz, is known in Russia as "The Reverse Path" - Ed.). Sometimes it was funny, sometimes it was scary, but I remember exactly what I thought then: this is a great plot. The very idea of killing an actor while performing a dangerous stunt in order to get insurance was genius in its ridiculousness.
I was only 18 years old and lived in Port Chester, New York, which seemed to be the furthest city from Hollywood. But I always dreamed of becoming a director, dreamed that someday I would make a film based on this plot. I just had to do it. I started writing scripts, which at first, as usual, were not needed by anyone. But eventually my scripts became in demand. In the wake of the success of Catching Till Midnight, I started trying to acquire the rights to film The Hollywood Scam and found it was almost impossible. The few I could hardly find claimed to own the rights, but as it turned out later, this was not the case. I continued to make films, but never gave up hope that one day I would have the chance to direct my own version of The Comeback Trail.
Many years later, I was invited to give a speech before the screening of the movie "Catch Before Midnight." There I met Joy Harwitz, the widow of Harry Harwitz, who directed the original film. I asked her about the Hollywood Scam, and she was surprised that I even heard about this movie. We became friends and entered into a partnership agreement, because she, as it turned out, owns the rights to the film adaptation! Writer Josh Posner and I sketched out a few rough drafts of the plot, which eventually turned into a complete script. Several times we practically managed to agree on financing, but we could not put the squeeze on the producers. Then one day I was talking with Robert De Niro, and he said that he would like to play some comedic role to get out of the dark image that he got used to on the set of Irishman. It was then that everything fell into place.
Several producers emerged at once, including Richard Salvatore, Dave Ornston, Philip Kim, Patrick Hibler, Joy Harwitz and of course, including my beloved wife, Julie Lott-Gallo. Together they quickly raised the required amount, and we started filming. Only then did we finally understand what was happening. When you dream about something for too long, you don't want to stumble on the finish line. I am fortunate enough to work with great actors like Robert De Niro, Tommy Lee Jones and Morgan Freeman. Real legends of cinema worked out one hundred percent, the group and I laughed a lot during the filming. Zach Braff, Emile Hirsch and Eddie Griffin kept up with the masters. Probably the best moment in my life is to see the film take shape.
Although we were filming a comedy, I didn't want the film to come out too bright or too colorful, as most modern comedies are. No matter how comical the plot, we are talking about premeditated murder. So cinematographer Lucas Bielan and I developed a subdued, darker and more realistic scale for this story. Shooting from the shoulder made the scenes even more believable. Our artists Stephen Lineweaver and Joe Lemmon also adhered to the chosen line. The idea was to create a realistic, subdued atmosphere for the main characters and avoid unnecessary gloss in the scenes.
We can say that "The Hollywood Scam" is two films in one. On the one hand, it's a story about Max Barber's insurance fraud, but it's also a story about filming a movie. You may notice that the image becomes more colorful as soon as the shooting of "The Oldest Trunk in the West" begins. Here we tried to take advantage of the experience of the great John Ford. Duke Montana is not the American West; he personifies the old Hollywood myth of the American West. Old films have enough visual clichés that we readily borrowed. Those films were shot differently. Then the energy was created by the movement of the camera and staging, and not by a flickering montage, as in modern paintings. We created our film using a classic approach. John Vitale and I made the editing natural and modest.
And finally, I've always listened to old-school themed soundtracks. Unfortunately, our modern cinema does not indulge in this either. If you remember the good old classics of cinema, the music itself begins to sound in the head. There are not many composers today who can concentrate on classical themes as they did years ago. Aldo Slagu can be called a "dinosaur" because he loves to write just such music. Aldo had a very difficult task - the music had to at the same time fit the Western, be comic, but not stoop to parody.
“Overall, filming was a phenomenal experience for us. It is significant that everyone who worked on the film in one way or another is still discussing it. I hope the audience laughs while watching it. Now is a difficult time for everyone. A little laughter won't hurt anyone. "
George Gallo is an award-winning screenwriter and director. His script, "Catch Before Midnight," was ranked in the Top 101 Funniest Scripts in History by the Writers Guild of America. The Bad Boys action comedy series has become the most popular franchise in the history of cinema. Gallo has written and / or directed dozens of other films, including Fraudsters, Catching Till Midnight, 29th Street, Bad Boys, Double Trouble, My Mom's New Boyfriend, True Color ”,“ Mediators ”,“ Vicious Circle ”,“ Poisonous Rose ”and“ Mr. Olympia ”. Gallo is a talented artist, his paintings are represented in many prestigious galleries and private collections, including the Butler Institute of American Art. In his youth, he played saxophone and guitar, performing at various venues in New York. The Hollywood Scam will be his second collaboration with Robert De Niro and Morgan Freeman.
Introduction by Producer David E. Ornston
- Many wonderful producers have worked on the film "The Hollywood Scam", but it was me who had the honor to tell about the work on the picture.
What a movie! The Hollywood Scam has become, without a doubt, the funniest movie I've ever worked on. It all started with a wonderful script, and with each subsequent stage the film got better and better. George Gallo and Josh Posner wrote an amazing comedy script. Thanks to him, we were able to attract phenomenal actors who wanted to get a role in this film.
George Gallo also took over the director's chair. It is an independent film, so the filming was fraught with the madness inherent in the world of arthouse. Nevertheless, George coped with all the difficulties, quickly made responsible decisions, constantly encouraged the actors, and the result was an amazing film.
You can only dream of such a cast, which we picked up on the set. My career started in New York in the early 80's. At the time, Robert De Niro was already a star and an inspiration to aspiring actors. When Bob got used to the character of Max Barber, it was difficult to shake off the feeling that we were all in an acting workshop. He was never late, always carefully preparing for filming and acting out his scenes easily but brilliantly. He constantly made some small adjustments to the scenes, improvised with other actors, keeping everyone around him in good shape. It was as if we were looking at a beautiful diamond that sparkled with its perfection, no matter what facet it was turned.
Tommy Lee Jones and Morgan Freeman are true professionals in their field. Tommy Lee perfectly got used to the image of Duke Montana. He conveyed all the nuances of his character with his characteristic gloomy charm and sense of humor. This is the second time I have had the good fortune to enjoy the exceptional talent of Morgan Freeman. He works so effortlessly and gracefully that it seems beyond human capabilities.
Zach Braff as Walter Crison was hilariously pretentious. They made a wonderful duet with Bob, who played a pathologically obsessed independent producer ... I myself have met such once or twice in my life. Emil Hirsch brilliantly played the head of the studio, James Moore, putting into his hero all the humor and cynicism released to him by nature. Eddie Griffin was incredibly ridiculous as Morgan's character's assistant. Kate Katzman flashed in the frame and outside it, playing the director of the film, which is filming in our picture according to the plot.
"I hope the audience will enjoy the picture as much as we enjoyed working on it!"
David E. Ornston has produced over 30 films. Ornston was born in New York, graduated from college in Boston, and then returned to New York to become an actor. He made an impressive career in the theater scene, but in 1996 decided to turn his attention to cinema together with Richard Salvatore. He has worked on a variety of films - both large-budget and independent.
